PP-F3: Bump in the night [COMPLETE]

[Mari 1]

Mari felt herself shift, as Moartea allowed her to slide off of his shoulders and into his chest, he held her close; one arm looped under her freely dangling legs the other secured fast to her back. "If I didn't know any better, Moeartea..." Mari teased, "I'd think you were trying to get in my good books, acting such the gentleman."

Mari was in unusually good spirits, it wasn't often she was feeling this pleasant. She started humming softly to herself, unaware that she was even doing so. She gave a small yawn, resting her head against Moartea's chest; hearing the slow rhythmic beat of his heart. She lifted her head slightly when she heard him speak, saying something about an amazing sight. She rubbed her eyes with another yawn. Blinking a few times.

"Ehh??"

The view around them was unique; it was as though they had stepped into a cave made with the very essence of light itself, the soft silvery hues of the moonlight, the twinkling white of the stars - the warm yellow glow of the sun, the array of colours was truly a sight to behold; "Oh wow."
 

[Moartea 0]

Moartea walked around with Mari in his arms, as he brought her closer to a few of the glowing rocks, he looked up after letting her see them up close. The ceiling was the same as well, but more pronounce than the floor or the mites and tites, as he heard her saw wow, this was something he too never expected. And when Mari said that he was trying to get in her good books, by being a gentleman, he grinned, "But of course I am a gentleman, how else would I be?" "Tis how I was raised, for I know only how to please a woman, make her pleasant, as you are right now and your wonderful humming I must point out." Moartea said as he felt his legs getting tired from walking, so he found a rock and platted his tushy down and kept hold Mari. But he let her legs rest on his while his left arm stayed around her back, the other he to his side, on his legs near Mari's. "So, this is a rather nice cavern, all these array of colours, they really do bring out your eyes Mari, I do say that they are a wonderful blue." He said, implying more than compliment that time, but still was one from him.

[Mari 1]

Moartea walked around the cavern, acting as a sort of tour guide; the two of them glancing over the odd yet serene scene before them. "mmm there are many other types of a person other than a gentleman." Mari began, counting them on her fingers. "You got your player, you got your angry type, your arrogant type, the meek type..." She paushed giving a shrug. "What gets me is that you seem to be a bit of them all, all jumbled up into the one neat package."

Mari glanced away when he complimented her humming, she wasn't aware she was doing such a thing, "mmm..." Was all she said in response, unsure what to say on the subject. Generally she kept her singing or in this case 'humming' to herself. She should get used to the attention, especially positive attention. As she held the Performer Profession, and would need to rely on it to obtain Col.

Moartea sat down, near the back of the cavern on a small boulder; he ensured that she was nestled safetly in his arms. Mari wasn't sure what to feel, whether she should feel uncomfortable about how close he was to her or not. He complimented her eyes, and how they almost glowed -reflecting the natural lights of the cavern. Mari simply brushed her hair out of her face in response. 

[Moartea 0]

As Moartea sat there with Mari he had the feeling that she wasn't enjoying herself, with that he glanced down to her. "You seem, unsure about this Mari, are you uncomfortable?" He asked, not sure what to expect, as all Mari did was brush the hair out of her face, to his compliment, saying nothing at all. Which threw him for a loop, as he looks back up, he leans his head back and looks at the ceiling, not sure what to say, as his heartbeat seemed to echo in the cave. ~Maybe this was a bad idea, I'm sure what she's going to say or do.~ Moartea thought to himself, unsure of her reaction, as his last statement, was what was the fun in expecting everything, this was one of those moments.

[Mari 1]

Mari gave a shrug. "It's weird to be like this." She commented thoughtfully, "I don't often get the time to just, rest - so...peacefully I mean..." Mari bit her lower lip, giving a slight scowl. "I've had so much trouble with this guild lately... the Crimson Inquisition; I've had multiple members threaten to kill me. I act like it doesn't bother me." Mari paused to flick a glowing bug off her leg. "And in a way it doesn't - some of the members are arrogant, and rude; but at the same time. To  be blatantly threatened like that?" Mari sighed. 

"I have a sharp tongue, and yes I am very rude; but is it really worth it to kill someone over? What kind of stupid ideals does that guild have anyway?" Mari asked as she looked up at Moartea - who was leaning back against the cavern wall, staring at the ceiling. Mari frowned. "I'm sorry. I'm ranting."

She rested her head against his chest, muttering in a tired voice. "That's why I am uncomfortable, because I'm not used to being able to have a moments reprise like this. How can you rest when it feels like an entire guild is after your head?"

[Moartea 0]

When Moartea heard about his guild and how they treated her, he frowned, "That's horrid, Mari, I'm sorry you had a terrible time with them... please don't get mad at me, I'm not going to hide this from you now, because you will find out, but... I'm apart of that guild." "But I'm just the Blacksmith, and the Profession Recruitment Division leader, I have no real power there." "And frankly I don't want any, please don't be mad at me for finding this out, but what they did, is unacceptable, and I can't believe they would dare say that to someone like you." Moartea as his voice was full of shock and anger at his guild members, why would they dare do that to her, she may be somewhat hard to get along with, bu that didn't mean they had to kill her, "I don't know why people resort to killing one another for somethings they can work out with words." "Mari whatever they did to you, you know I would never do, I'm sorry this happened." "If you hate me for being apart of that guild I understand, but please I just want you and I to be... friends... maybe more." He said to her, as his eyes were now holding the feeling of confusion that this happened, "If it makes you feel better, I only recently joined them, but that still doesn't excuse their actions, it it distasteful and atrocious that they would act like that to you, I never found you rude, you were just honest to me, and that's nothing to threaten a person over." He said as he looked at her and hoped to god that she didn't get mad at him.

[Mari 1]

Mari shrugged, "I think one member is after my head." Mari flinched when Moartea mentioned he was part of the guild, she felt her chest tighten; she didn't want to worry or upset the man any more than she already had but it was clear she was visibly shaken by it. "I'm not mad." She said quietly, glancing down into her lap. "How can I be mad at you for joining the largest guild?"

She looked up at him giving him a wry smile. "blacksmith huh? So you may very well forge the weapon that kills me one day." She joked half heatedly.

She shrugged when Moartea showed his disgust, "It happens : I was quite rude, and insulting, but hey... You get what you dish out with me."

Moartea seemed worried that she would hate him, his words filled with both anger and anguish. In truth it did make her more wary of him, and she could feel her heart beat faster within her chest. But she was on positive terms with Life, and he was a member of the guild. He didn't seem too fond of it either. Mari had to wonder why people stayed within guilds they hated. pride? Lust for power? Loyalty?

"I don't hate you." Mari began, voice still quiet, "I'm..." She paused, hesitant of her next words. "I am wary of you."

It was then that Moartea said he wished they would remain friends, maybe something more- Mari wasn't able to answer that right now. Her head still reeling from the information she just received.

 

[Moartea 0]

Moartea looked at Mari when she said she was wary of him, and that he would craft a weapon that would possibly kill her, he gave a stern pained expression. "Or one to save your life, or even armor, and please don't joke like that." "Your not going to die, so please don't make jokes haft heartily like that, all life is precious, even yours." "You can't die here, you have a daughter, and she is still waiting for you, so don't think you will die by another player." Moartea said as he was speaking the truth, a child should never have to lose a mother, even though he didn't know how old Mari was exactly, all he knew was that she was a mother. "I may not know your personal life, but I know, a child, no matter what age, should never have to lose their birth mother... not like me."  He said turning his head away, as he was told about his mother, and how she died in child birth to him, and he never once, got to meet her, he was only told stories abut her and shown photos as well. He turned his head back to Mari and his eyes were full of strength, yet they held a pined looked as he only told Mari about his foster mother, who was his wet nurse as well. 

 

"Trust me, you can't die, think about how it would effect the future of your child, don't you want to see her again, to wake up from the hospital, and to see her smiling as her mother awakens from the coma of this world." "I think... that would be worth the torment of other players, knowing that you get to be back with the person you love the most, I know." "My foster mother is most likely at my bed side in Castle Kaiser, right now," He told her as he did say that Castle Kaiser was in Romania Transylvania, but what he never told her was that he never left it, to enter Japan to play SAO, as he knew SAO was a Japan exclusive, though he did have a secure network at Castle Kaiser. "Trust me, your going to live through this hell, fight, scream, scratch and bite your way out, until you find the light at the end of the tunnel and return to your life Mari, don't let anything hold you back, but don't forget, you have people here who are willing to help you through tough times." "You have my support and I'm here is you need a person to talk to, by my family name Kaiser, I will promise you, I will be here." He said once, and looked up at the ceiling and let out a sigh.

[Mari 1]

Mari shrugged, trying to avoid his stern, dark eyes. “How can one save my life?” She asked, “I am not exactly loaded right now. Most of my spare Col is being out aside to help assist a guild I want to start up.” Mari tiled her head, giving Moartea a grin. “The Cerulean Silence, has a nice ring huh?”

Moartea started going on about the importance of a mother in a childs life; she understood that he was speaking from his own pain; revealing that he didn’t know his birth mother. Those words were painful to hear, and under any other normal circumstance, Mari would feel empathy for him. But at that moment; the words he said were repeating in her mind.

she’s waiting for you

But..how could she be? Mari bit her lower lip, furrowing her brows as she tried not to cry. “It’s…not that easy…” She began in a small voice. “A corrupt lawyer made it so I can never see my daughter. Ever. A-“ Mari shook her head, unable to finish the sentence she buried her face in the palm of her hands. Her entire body shook with emotion as she tried so very hard to hold back the tears. Her death wouldn’t affect the future of her child, her daughters father would ensure that Mari had nothing to do with her life, and would go through any means to do it.

“I don’t have such things to look forward to.”

Mar said, with her face still buried in her hands. Her voice void of emotion as her body became still.

 

[Moartea 0]

Moartea wrapped his arms around Mari and hugged her, as he tried to comfort her, and at least calmed her down. "I... can't say I know how this feels, but Mari, everyone deserves a second chance, and I can help you, when I leave SAO, I can have my uncle. who is the best lawyer i know of, overlook the trial and have a retrial made, so you can be with her." "Mari, you deserve to be with your daughter, I can help you... if you will allow me, my family holds much power, and we... I can help you set things straight." Moartea said as his Uncle was one of the best lawyers he knew of, in fact his Uncle won all the cases he was put with, if anyone could give Mari a chance to make her life normal again, he could. Moartea pulled Mari's head into his chest and he took a deep breathe, let out a cool breathe of air, as he let Mari listen to his heart, "I would never tell nothing than the truth Mari, listen, you can tell when a person is lying by their heartbeat, it quickens when they do." "I promise you this, when I get out, I will help you, but I will only do so if you allow me." "I want to help you, as a friend Mari, please will you allow me to do so?" He said, as his heartbeat didn't even twitch, it stayed at its constant rate with ever word he said, showing Mari that he was telling the truth.

[Mari 1]

Mari gave a small hiccup then a murmur as she felt the warmth of his arms wrap around her petite frame; She felt tired, and her body heavy. She had a far too unexpected and emotional day. "Maybe..." She murmured, rubbing her eye with a balled up first. "I wish I could say I believe your words." she muttered, clearly exhausted from the day - after all when she first met Moartea she was half asleep.

 

The pink haired woman fell silent, she could her his heart;

ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum ~

"Mmmm...maybe...."

Mari muttered- she could tell she was drifting off, and a small part screamed at her not to; to pull away and to just leave the strange talking man to his own device - but even so, a tiny hand reached up and clasped onto Moartea's shoulder.

[Moartea 0]

Moartea felt Mari's hand on his shoulder, and felt her a little limp, he looked down and saw her dozing off. He smiled and picked her up like before, "How bout i get you to a Inn, you seem tired." He said as he had his right arm under her legs, and his left one wrapped behind her back, and gently but firmly grasping her shoulder, and he began to walj out of the cavern like before. As he came to the mouth of the cave and felt the wind, and sighed, as he used his right hand, while under Mari's legs, to open his HUD and spawn his denim coat and he placed it over Mari, so she wouldn't get cold. And he walked into the water once again, and around the shoreline and onto the sandy beach, as he followed the pathway and found the road to the town, and without a care in the world, walked through the plaza,with people looking at him, carry Mari tot he Inn. 

 

He opened the door with some help from the people around him and he entered the building, and ordered a room for them both, separate ones, and he grabbed both keys. And began his trek to Mari's room and found it, as he opened it, with some help yet again, he walked in, taking the key and placing Mari on her bed, afterward he placed the key on the table. And turned to Mari, who he could tell was rather half awake, and bent down to her eye level, "I will be in my room next door, if you need anything, don't hesitate to knock on it." He said as he placed his hand on her head and smiled as he walked out and closed her door, and entered his own, room, knowing he left his denim cot upon her chest, as he didn't care, he waled to his window and opened it, as he gazed out and looked over the town, not sure if Mari even heard him say anything.

[Mari 1]

Mari lazily opened her eyes; "Mmm,...w-whaa?" She asked with a yawn. Mari felt herself be lifted up and out of the cave, the cold wind bristled against her skin - but as soon as she had felt it, it was gone. Replaced with the warmth of a thick jacket. Mari snuggled against it - lifting it up to her chin, she was now more or less asleep.

During her sleep, Mari would mutter something every so often - an unfamiliar name, a pained cry - but they quickly died down, as Mari rolled into  Moartea's chest, silently dreaming unspoken, unseen dreams.

She stirred, giving a grumbled moan as Moartea carefully placed her on her bed, she shuffled under the coat - adrift in dreamland.

 

[Moartea 0]

~Complete~ 

 

~Rewards~

400 Col per completed page: 2 Pages: 800 Col

Col divided by players: Moartea & Mari 

Each player gains 400 Col

Both players gain one skill point